PTI

United Nations, November 27

Countering terrorism and reformed multilateralism can be among the many key priorities for India because it assumes the month-to-month presidency of the UN Security Council from December 1, culminating its two-year tenure as non-permanent member of the 15-nation highly effective physique.

According to the UNSC guidelines of process, the Council presidency rotates between every of the 15 members of the UNSC, in alphabetical order.

“For us, in the December Presidency, our priorities will be countering terrorism for which we have very successfully built a good narrative in these past few months as well as a focus on reformed multilateralism,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj instructed PTI in an unique interview right here.

India assumes the month-to-month rotating presidency of the Security Council from December 1, the second time after August 2021 that the nation will preside over the Council throughout its two yr tenure as elected UNSC member.

India’s 2021-2022 time period on the Council ends December 31, with Kamboj, India’s first girl Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York sitting within the President’s seat on the highly effective horseshoe desk for the month. India can even take over the year-long G20 presidency from December 1.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will journey to New York to preside over “signature events” within the Security Council on renewed orientation for reformed multilateralism on December 14 and on countering terrorism on December 15.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Csaba Korosi are additionally anticipated to temporary the UNSC assembly on December 14.

Kamboj mentioned counter-terrorism was one in all India’s prime priorities when it entered the Council on January 1, 2021.

She underscored that from the eight-point motion plan on combating terrorism outlined within the Security Council by Jaishankar in January 2021 to the October 2022 Special Meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee hosted by India throughout which the ‘Delhi Declaration’ was adopted, India has been profitable in demonstrating two issues.

“One that there can be no justification for terror, it is condemnable, it has to be called out and countries who seek to obfuscate that, seek to justify that should be called out,” Kamboj mentioned.

The second level is that each one international locations, importantly, ought to converse with a united voice. “The problem (of terror) is transnational and we have to pool in our resources, knowledge and expertise to speak with a united voice,” she mentioned.

On October 28-29, the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee, presently chaired by India, organised a Special Meeting in New Delhi and Mumbai on the overarching theme of “Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes”.

As an final result of the particular assembly, the Committee adopted the “pioneer document” ‘Delhi Declaration’ on countering the usage of new and rising applied sciences for terrorist functions.

The Delhi Declaration serves to focus consideration on the scourge of terrorism and notably the truth that it has raised its head in a “new avatar” the place terrorists have been abusing, misusing digital platforms to ahead their narrative, Kamboj mentioned.

She added that this message was taken ahead in New Delhi this month by way of the ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing that was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“That was a continuation of what we have been doing, specifically where the CTC meeting in New Delhi and Mumbai left off and going forward, to complete the arc, during our term we will be having a focussed discussion” on December 15 within the presence of the External Affairs Minister and different international dignitaries within the Council.

“India has done everything that it could to fulfil the mandate of the CTC. All countries across the table, without exception, have complimented India for the Delhi Declaration, for the CTC event in Delhi and complimented the conference as being outstanding both in terms of logistics and substance. That is not insignificant and that must be noticed,” Kamboj mentioned.

Jaishankar had introduced a voluntary contribution of USD 500,000 by India to the UN Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism to reinforce the UNOCT’s efforts to construct the capability of member states to counter terrorism.

“India is very strong on this narrative. We are very mindful that countries in Asia and Africa particularly” are dealing with the scourge of terrorism. “This is something that we’ll continue to keep our focus on while we’re in the Council,” she mentioned.

On December 2, Kamboj will temporary the broader UN membership on the CTC assembly in New Delhi and “our achievements, what that meeting achieved”.

She mentioned the difficulty of reformed multilateralism was amongst India’s key priorities because it entered the Council final yr and “we will keep a strong focus on that”.

Kamboj mentioned many international locations have spoken that the system can not proceed as it’s. “It needs to be reformed. The architecture of 1945, the world of 2022, (both are) very different. It’s an anachronism the way the Security Council is configured,” she mentioned.

Kamboj underscored that India’s place is evident and well-known. New Delhi needs early reform and the Security Council must be expanded in each everlasting and non-permanent classes, enchancment in working strategies of the Council to make it extra clear, inclusive, improved relationship between the General Assembly and Security Council in addition to the query of the veto.

India has highlighted the necessity for a consolidated textual content to function the premise for negotiations and this has been espoused by a majority of UN member states, Kamboj mentioned.

With the PGA having appointed Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the United Nations Michal Mlynar and Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait Tareq M A M Albanai as co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations, Kamboj expressed hope that the “discussion will lead us somewhere and hopefully move the dialogue” in direction of attaining UNSC reform.

She confused that when the Intergovernmental Negotiations course of commences subsequent yr, India can be “very active, will be reaching out to various groups and advancing discussions” on UNSC reform.